Moments
by Leah992
Summary: The moments before: The build up to Sirius escaping Azkaban and what Lupin was dreaming of before the Dementors attacked the train. POA One-off.


I was just watching POA film when Lupin does that "the first time I saw you I recognised your mothers eyes" speech. this is basically an evolution of that speech. I added Sirius in cos I love him.

Shout-out to my main gal JK!

Enjoy!

* * *

Remus was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming because he was sat with James on the Hogwarts express. James looked just like he had the last time Remus had seen him. Twenty-one, young, healthy and in love.

"What do you think he will be like?" asked James who was staring out of the window pensively.

Remus looked up from his book and shrugged. "Dumbledore told me he's like Lily. Kind, witty and with a strong sense of morality. And he's got her temper! But he manages to get himself into as much trouble as you did."

James grinned. "Can't be that much like Lily, then."

Remus laughed. "No, I suppose not."

James chewed his lip thoughtfully. "I hope he's good at Quidditch. I know it's stupid, and there are more important things to want for your son, but I'd like to think we could share that."

Remus smiled. "You know, he made the Gryffindor team in his first year. Youngest Seeker in a century McGonnagal told me."

James grinned manically. "I told Lily he would be a great flyer one day."

The two of them looked out of the window. In the distance Remus could see the lights of Hogwarts castle, twinkling like stars in the inky blackness of the night.

"It's nice to be coming back." He remarked.

James nodded. "Full moon's coming up as well. I'll be able to hang out in the Shrieking Shack with you, keep you company."

Remus shook his head sadly. "No you won't James. It's been twelve years since the last time you kept me company during my transformation."

James frowned at him. "Rubish! I've been there for every one! I know Sirius and Peter have been a bit busy but..."

Remus felt a tear trickle down his face, and he turned his face away from his long dead friend. "I miss you James. I miss those nights, all those years ago, when it was simple. When all we had to worry about was Snape finding out."

James stared at his friend curiously. "Not that much has changed. I mean I'm still here aren't I?"

Remus felt the ache in his chest and looked away. When he looked back James was gone.

He was in Godric's Hollow staring at the devastation that was his friends' home. He walked threw the front door, his whole body shaking in shock, just like it had twelve years ago. He walked, trance like, past Sirius, who was cradling James in his arm's, staring off into the distance with unfocused eyes, giggling manically to himself while tears poured down his face.

"Hahaha! Good one James! He does look like bat..."

Sirius whispered as he tried to straighten James' glasses with his trembling hands.

Remus walked up the stairs and into Harry's room. Lily was standing over the cot watching Harry sleep.

Remus stood next to her.

"Isn't he beautiful..."

Remus smiled and put an arm round Lily's shoulders. "He looks just like James."

She smiled up at him, her brilliant green eyes shining with love and pride. "You'll watch over him, won't you Remus. I don't want him to be alone in the world."

"Of course." Remus replied, chocking over the lump in his throat.

He pulled Lily into a hug. "Merlin, I miss you, Lily."

"I know." she said softly, patting his back.

Suddenly she pushed him away, staring out of the window into the night.

"Remus!" She grabbed his arms and stared up at him, her eyes flashing with fear. "Remus, Harry's in danger. Harry's in danger, Remus GO!"

Remus opened his eyes. He was on the Hogwarts express. The compartment was dark and across from him two teenagers were whimpering in fright. He looked around and saw the Dementor. He stood up, pulling his wand from his pocket and instinctively cast the Patronus Charm. The Dementor was pushed out of the door and away from the third teenager that Remus had not noticed until now. He kept pushing the Dementor, which was now attempting to flee, until he reached the door, and slid it shut.

He turned quickly and lunged forward to support the boy that the Dementor had been feeding on before. He slumped in his seat and before his eyes flickered closed, Remus felt a shocking jolt of recognition and joy, as Lily Evens' eyes looked up at him once more.

* * *

Sirius's heart skipped a beat as he heard the familiar clang-clang-clang of the guard's baton striking the bars of the prisoners cells. Today was the day. Today Sirius would beat him at last!

Slowly the clanging got louder until the guard reached Sirius' cell. He dragged the baton slowly across the bars, each clang reverberating in the cell, so loud it was nearly unbearable, until he reached the middle.

"Black." He said quietly.

He pulled a rolled up newspaper from inside his robes and waved it at him tauntingly. He threw it into the cell. Next he pulled out a bar of Honeydukes finest chocolate.

"What you got for me, Black?"

Sirius straightened his legs kicking the empty plate from last nights meal towards the cell door. He put both his arms behind his head and grinned at the guard.

"A man walks into a bar and asks the bar tender for a glass of water. The bartender picks up his wand, waves it at the door, and in glides a Dementor. He then waves his wand again, and the Dementor disappears. The man thanks him, and leaves. Why the thank-you?"

The guard stared at Sirius, pondering. "Was he... Thanking him for getting rid of the Dementor?"

Sirius shook his head. "The barman brought in the Dementor in the first place."

"Hmmm..."

The guard bent down and picked up Sirius' plate absent-mindedly. "And they have never met before?"

"Mm-hm." Sirius confirmed.

The guard clicked his tongue, thinking. He stood, leaning against Sirius' cell, for a whole 5 minutes before he said "I've got no bloody clue."

Sirius grinned. "Give up?"

"Yes, yes, I give up." Said the guard, smiling. "Why did the man thank him?"

"He had the hiccups."

The guard blinked at Sirius a few times before throwing back his head and laughing. "Oh alright, you win."

He chucked the bar of chocolate into the cell, which Sirius caught with one hand. The guard turned to go. "It's only taken you three years to think of one I couldn't solve!"

He started down the corridor and called over his shoulder "I'll collect that paper off you when I bring your supper."

Sirius grinned and ripped into the chocolate savagely. He ate a whole row in the first bite. He lent back and wallowed in the blissful feeling of the chocolate melting away the haze of despair the Dementors laid over him. He felt like he could think clearly for the first time in years! The happy memories came so much easier to him now, the rage of injustice disappearing. He thought of James and Remus, all those hours spent in their dormitory laughing and plotting how best to torture Snape. Thought of Lily and James' wedding, and little Harry running rampant throughout the house, crashing into peoples legs.

Sirius carefully broke off a cube of chocolate, and wrapped up the rest, hiding it behind a lose rock in the wall. He crawled across the floor to where the paper lay, taking it back with him to his nest of rags in the corner. He slowly nibbled on the chocolate, willing it to last as long as possible. It was so cold in the cell that he could shave off tiny lines of it with his teeth.

Sirius settled down to read the paper. He done this everyday for the last three years, ever since the nameless guard had challenged Sirius to a daily game of riddles.

Sirius read the paper, because he wanted to see Harry. He had a collection of clippings about his godson in his hidey hole in the wall. There were 5 in all and in the collection were two pictures. One was of Harry in his Gryffindor Quidditch robes, the article saying the was the youngest Seeker in a century. Sirius had nearly cried when he read the article, not just because he was so proud, but because, for a second, Sirius had thought it was a picture of James. The second picture was Harry posing with Gilderoy Lockhart. He looked distinctively confused and uncomfortable. Every time Sirius looked at it he laughed. It was such a Lily-ish expression, it was amusing seeing it on James' face.

Sirius stopped on the 5th page of the Prophet and stared at a familiar face. Author Weasley, he looked so old! And there was Molly Prewertt, unmistakable, grinning next to him. They had so many children! Seven of them. Sirius smiled at his old friend. Author had been in his final year at Hogwarts when Sirius had started. Author had been the one who had shown James and Sirius how to get into the kitchens.

Sirius read the article. Their youngest son, Ron, was in the same year as Harry, and Sirius wondered if they were friends. He searched the picture for him.

Sirius stopped breathing.

Pettigrew. There was no doubt. The rat clutched in the boy, Ron's hands. He was alive. All the old feelings rose up inside him. Hurt, rage, betrayal. Sirius's hands were shaking. The boy was in the same year as Harry.

The idea of that scum being anywhere near Harry filled Sirius with a vengeful wraith, the likes of which he hadn't felt since the night he went looking for Pettigrew. He had to get out. Sirius had to escape! He had to avenge James! Had to protect Harry.

Sirius ate the last of the cube of chocolate, despite the bile that was rising in his throat. He needed a clear head, he had to think.

And then it came to him. Sirius sprung around, yanking the lose stone from the wall and dragging out his clippings of Harry. He ripped a strip from his prisoners robes and turned it into a make shift bag, in it he put his newspaper clippings and half the chocolate, the rest he shoved into his mouth, he would need it if he was to escape the Dementors.

Then, for the first time in twelve years he transformed.

As an emancipated dog it was easy to slip through the bars of his cell. He ran down the corridors, the makeshift bag swinging around his neck, searching for the exit. It wasn't until he was outside that he started to chew the chocolate in his mouth. He knew it would make him sick in his dog form but he didn't care, he needed the protection it would give him against the Dementors.

He ran to the dock, ready to hide on one of the boats.

He was going back to the magical world. And when he got there he would find Pettigrew, and he would kill him.

* * *

So there you go! not one of my best because I only wrote it in an hour... but please review!

Kisses.


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